Brooder



' fMW July 11, 1933. v R. M. PETERSIME 8,1

BROODER Filed Aug. 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR 1 39 Rwzmmm. .10 BY 7 WITNESS.

ATTORNEY J y 1933- I R. M. PETERSIME 1,913,125

BROOYDERI Filed Aug. 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LZ l Ii wn'NEss INVENTOR 12 7J1. .Per.y;ma

ATTORNEY Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED STATES RAY M. PETEBSIME, OF GETTYSBURG, OHIO BROODER Application filed August 25', 1930. Serial No. 477,687.

This invention relates to improvements in brooders and it consists of the constructions, combinations and arrangements hereln described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a brooder or brood-unit embodying a number of advantageous features which enable the accommodation of chicks of different ages in the same apparatus; to insure the physical care of said chicks over fairly long periods without the necessity of supervision on the part of the poultryman, as well as the facilities for replenishing the water and feed troughs and the obtaining of any wanted chick without the possibility of the rest escaping.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the brooder.

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of one corner of the brooder, particularly illustrating the manner of mounting the adjustable and portable panels.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1, the

- aforesaid panels being omitted.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of a portion of the brooder, showing the internal construction.

The herein disclosed invention is devised to provide the poultryman with an apparatus that will accommodate broods of chicks of diflerent ages in the same brooder. To this end the apparatus constitutes a plurality of combined brooders, or a brood-unit as it is variously called. The chicks on one deck may be ver small and feeble, while those on the succee 'ng decks may be progressively lar er and hardier. 4

ach deck is equipped with the requisite apparatus for insuring all of the physical comforts of the chicks so that supervision on the part of the poultryman may be separated by relatively long periods. The various features are best brought out by consulting the drawings.

An appropriate framework 1 (Fig. 1) co1n prises standards 2 at the four corners, these standards being appropriately connected and braced to compose a rigid structure. Those parts of the standards that appear below the bottom decks 3 serve the purpose of legs in which casters 4 are fitted to enable rolling the unit from place to place.

The succeeding decks are denoted 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. The brooder may comprise more or less of these. Included in the foregoing connections of the standards 2 are pairs of rectangular. angle iron frames 10, 11 along the matching corners of which the standards 2 extend and to which the standards are secured in any desired way, for example by riveting as at 12.

Trays 13 are slidable between the closely spaced angle iron pairs to catch any dirt fall ng through the screens 14 by which the various decks are bottomed. The so-called screens 14 may comprise any reticulated bottom. The holes are large enough to let the dirt drop through, yet not so large as to catch the feet of the chicks. Since all dirt collects on the trays beneath each floor it is kept away from the chicks and the spreadmg of diseases is prevented.

The trays, which are provided in pairs (1 1g. 1) for each deck, are easily slid out and in without disturbing the chicks in the least. In other words the trays are entirely ndependent of the bottoms 14. This makes it unnecessary to brush the chicks oil and temporarily dispose of them while the cleanmg operation is going on. The spacing of the palrs of angle irons 10, 11 defines the var 1o us decks 3, 5 etc. or brood chambers, and since the structure relating to each brood chamber is identical, the description of one will sufiice, corresponding characters being used on similar parts throughout.

It IS assumed that Figure 1 shows the front of the broader. The trays 13 are accessible from this position. The brood chamber is divided by a curtain 15 (Fig. 4) which separates the run compartment 16 (Fig. 3) from the hover 17. The curtain 15 is movable by the chicks in passing from the run compartment to the hover and vice versa.

The run compartment is out in the open, so to speak, plenty of light and air being free 1y admitted through the slots 18 in the slides 19 on the three sides of the run compartment. The hover 17 is closed on all sides, partly by the two walls 20 which are either insulated or not (Fig. 3), and a door 21. This door also may or may not be insulated. However, the use of insulation is important and to this end the walls 20 and door 21 are made triple, there being a plate of insulating fiber '50 between metal plates 51 and 52 inside and outside.

Warmth is imparted to the hover 17 by an electrical heating element 22 of any suitable description. This element is connected in circuit with alamp 23 and a thermostat 24. The lamp constitutes a pilot, both indicating when the electrical circuit is closed and in a measure attracting the chicks to the warm hover. The chicks soon become accus tomed to the location of the hover or heat compartment by virtue of the light from the bulb 23, although the electrical circuit is such that the bulb may be removed without afiecting the regulation. The circuit is controlled by a snap switch 30. Each deck has its own snap switch so that any one or combination of the decks may be put in operation as far as the automatic heating of the hovers 17 is concerned. All of the circuits are connected by a common main 31, and this is controlled by the appropriate master switch 32 on top of the cabinet or unit. When this switch is opened all of the electrical apparatuses are rendered inoperative. A screeen 25 (Fig. 4) covers most of the electrical apparatus so that the chicks cannot come in contact therewith.

Every chick is within arms length of the art of the unit. In order to prevent the c icks from falling out when the door 21 is opened, the latter is horizontally hinged at 26 to an upstanding shield 27 that is appropriately secured at 28 to the front part of the angle 11. This shield serves the purpose of a wall over which the chicks cannot walk. when the door 21 is let down.

The door may be held in the position of a platform when let down so that should any the edge of the shield 27 which extends between the standards 2 both for this purpose as well as the mounting of the door 21. The front edge has a baflie 36 which prevents both the wasting of the feed and the escape of any chicks should the adjoining frame 37 be set at an extended adjustment.

This frame comprises part of what is desirably known as an adjustable member or panel. It constitutes an adjustable closure for the adjacent side of the run compartment 16. It swings between the'trough 33 and the angle iron 10 with which it is connected, although in the instance of each uppermost panel connection is made with the edge of the roof 38.

In any case there is a pair of hooks 39 over which the lugs 40 are fitted, these having elongated holes 41, to loosely attach the panel and admit of up and down as well as swinging motion of the panel when setting its detents 42 in the various notches 43 of fixed brackets 44. The lugs 40 are a part of the frame 37.

- This frame is bent down along the longitudinal edges to provide guides 45 between which the foregoing slide 19 is movable. There is a pair of the slides 19 in each frame 37. This enables the poultryman to move either slide (see decks 5 and 6, Fig. 1) for quick access tothe chicks. Each slide carries one of the detents 42, and the latter terminates in a finger piece 46 which makes moving of the slide easy.

It is to be observed that the detent 42 also serves as a lock for the-slide 19. The detent is made of stiif material in a doubly bent shape that provides not'only the finger piece 46 but a shoulder 47 as well. This shoulder occupies a position behind the bracket 44 when the detent is set in place in'one of the notches. It is then impossible to move the slide 19. But upon lifting the frame 37, as preparatory to changing the adjustment of the panel in reference to the bracket 44, the shoulder 47 will clear the edge of the bracket and enable outward movement of the slide 19 by a pull on the finger piece 46. Y

. Wings 48 (Fig. 2) on the ends of the frame 37 provide end closures to prevent the escape of chicks in any adjustment of the panel. The importance of the adjustability of the panels 19, 37 lies in its adaptability, to chicks of various ages. The effect of adjustment. is to regulate the size of the slit 49 (Fig. 4) between the run compartment 16 and the trough 33. An adjustment of the panel in the lower or innermost notch 43 will produce a narrow slit for very young chicks. A more decided adustment of the'panel in others of the notches provides for older chicks. Unless the size of the slit 49 is adjusted to suit the age of the chicks, there is the likelihood of very-young.

chicks getting out through the trough 33.

If the slit is too large young chicks can fall into the water or feed, and if too small larger chicks would be unable to get at either properly. Hence the panel is made adjustable to suit the chicks of various ages, an outstanding advantage being that the'feedan'd water is in full sight of the chicks regardless of The water and feed troughs 33, 34 and 35 on the three sides of the run compartment are of large capacity so that one filling will last for a considerable length of time. The combination of a closed and protected hover with an open, ventilated run compartment in one cabinet or unit is regarded as of great importance.

By making the panels 19, 37 (Fig. 2) adjustable it becomes possible to regulate any given brood chamber to the age of the chicks contained thereby. For youngchicksthe slit 49 (Fig. 4) will be made narrow, while for older chicks the size of the slit will be correspondingly increased. It is an easy matter to get at the chicks. This is done by moving either one or the other of the slides 19 on a given side of the run compartment, the wanted chick being there, or by opening the door 21 should the chick be in the hover.

None of the chicks can fall out because the poultryman will move the slide 19 only enough to get the arm through. In the instance of the door 21 the shield 27 provides a wall.

The facing of the insulating fiber 50 with metal plates both inside and outside of the hover or heating compartment 17 affords protection which will endure for the life ofthe brooder. It is equally important that the walls of the hover are perpendicular as this promotes economy in the operation of the brooder and also operates as a protectioilil against cold radiation through the wa s.

While the construction and arrangement of the improved brooder is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention 'or the scope of the claims.

1. A brooder comprising a brood chamber, a trough extending along an edge thereof, hooks situated on the confronting edge, a bracket carried by said chamber beside the trough and having notches, a panel comprisingpart of a side of the chamber, a detent carried by the panel being set in the various notches to adjust the slit between the panel and the trough, and In s on the panel having elongated slots recelving the hooks, enabling relative motion when adj usting the panel in respect to the trough and the detent in respect to the bracket.

2. A brooder comprising a brood chamber, a trough disposed along an edge thereof, a panel defining part of a side of the chamber said panel comprising a frame, means by which the frame is adjustably mounted on the brood chamber a slide and means by which it is extensibly and retractably carried by the frame, and adjusting means for simultaneously holding the frame in its adjusted positions and the slide in a retracted position in respect to the frame.

3. A chamber having an opening in one wall; a trough attached to one side ofthe chamber beside the opening, a notched brack et fixed on part of the chamber beside an end of the trough, a panel, means loosely attaching the panel to said wall adjacent to the opening, said means enabling swing ing as wellas slight lifting of the panel, and a stiff detent carried by said panel, being adapted to be placed in a selected notch by lifting and swinging the panel on its attaching means.

RAY M. PETERSIME. 

